


forever (and never again)

by malicecharity



Series: Fair Game Stories [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Ch11 on did NOT happen, Falling In Love, Holding Hands, M/M, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:35:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22522612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malicecharity/pseuds/malicecharity
Summary: Qrow’s not sure what to do. Suddenly Clover is all he can think about; that touch, those eyes, the heavy silence between them. One twitch of his finger could make or break the situation. They’ve been hovering in this space for a while, between friends and more. The cards, the showing off, the flirting—it’s all been leading up to something, but it just as easily could fizzle into nothing. Qrow and Clover have been playing a game of back-and-forth, tit-for-tat, will-you-or-won’t-you for so long, keeping a secret from each other that’s not a secret at all. But does he want to leap across the thin line that keeps them from one another?
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: Fair Game Stories [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1665880
Comments: 8
Kudos: 147





	forever (and never again)

**Author's Note:**

> this is based off of the song "again" by doris day so i highly recommend you listen to that while/after reading this

The winter evening is cold and yellow. Dying light passes through the windows of the Atlas airship, illuminating the bare metal interior until it’s shining and bright. Qrow rakes a hand through his hair and yanks, anxiety overwhelming him as he paces back and forth. Clover watches with concern from where he sits by the wayside. 

“Yang will be just fine,” Clover says reassuringly. “She’s a tough cookie. It takes more than a nasty Grimm bite to keep her down.” Qrow grunts and turns away from Clover. 

“I should have kept her safe. I should never have let this happen,” he growls, red eyes ablaze in his frustration, almost resembling the niece in question. 

“We all take hits out in the field. You can’t protect everyone from everything, Qrow—nobody can. Knowing that fact is part of the job.” The Huntsman hunches over, arms hugging his sides.

“Protecting her is part of the job of being an uncle,” he murmurs, and Clover frowns, standing up to be by Qrow’s side. He rests a hand on the other man’s shoulder and gently pushes until they’re both sitting down again.

“Atlas has the best medical technology in Remnant, and she’s being rushed back to the city with Blake as we speak. She’s going to be just fine,” Clover repeats, and Qrow nods, though his eyes still shine with guilt. He drags a hand down his face and huffs, then looks at the ceiling as if trying to prevent himself from crying. 

“It’s just—last time I wasn’t there for her. I didn’t protect her when she needed protection, and you know what happened then. I couldn’t stand it if it happened again.” Clover watches Qrow’s face, so pained in the waning light, and cautiously places a hand on top of Qrow’s where it lays between them. 

Qrow freezes for a second, momentarily shocked by the touch. Clover’s hand is warm and heavy, and every millimeter of contact between them feels multiplied tenfold by how _aware_ Qrow is of it. His chest soars and his stomach drops, just the same feeling that he gets when he flies. He looks down at their hands and then up at Clover, wide red eyes meeting vibrant teal ones, and that meeting feels so charged and so intense that Qrow can’t stand to look for more than a moment. 

He’s not sure what to do. Suddenly Clover is all he can think about; that touch, those eyes, the heavy silence between them. One twitch of his finger could make or break the situation. They’ve been hovering in this space for a while, between friends and more. The cards, the showing off, the flirting—it’s all been leading up to _something,_ but it just as easily could fizzle into nothing. Qrow and Clover have been playing a game of back-and-forth, tit-for-tat, will-you-or-won’t-you for so long, keeping a secret from each other that’s not a secret at all. But does he want to leap across the thin line that keeps them from one another? 

Qrow knows what he wants, deep down. And before his head can stop it, his heart chooses to lace his fingers between Clover’s and clasp their palms together firmly. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Clover watching their joined hands with a small smile on his face. His heart _flutters,_ legitimately _flutters_ like a schoolgirl’s, and he smiles. 

In small, gradual movements, Qrow shifts over until the back of his calf brushes against Clover’s leg. Clover leans into it so subtly that outwardly one wouldn’t notice, but Qrow can feel the point of contact so consciously it consumes him. He moves closer yet again, and their legs are pressed against each other almost fully, but Clover does not back away. 

Qrow knows now that they’re past the point of denying this—this _thing_ between them. They’re going to finally pursue this. Maybe not now, but certainly soon. He grips Clover’s hand more tightly and looks up at the man again. Clover notices Qrow’s gaze and turns to look at him too, his teal eyes bright. Clover swipes a thumb softly over the back of Qrow’s hand, the gesture a subtle acknowledgement of the moment, but he doesn’t seem to be able to speak and break the fragile silence. 

It’s all so beautifully and tragically temporary. The feeble light fills the space, showing every particle of dust as it floats in the air around them. Qrow knows that this is once in a lifetime—the very first realization and acknowledgement of a love that’s coming to be, the thrill divine. He doesn’t dare to move, to speak, to breathe; all things, even the setting of the sun, are suspended as the pair flies through the fading evening. As he looks at Clover’s eyes, holds Clover’s hand, sits close to him, time moves in smooth bounds, like the unraveling of a bolt of silk, moving slowly and quickly in ways that escape him. 

Clover’s thumb never ceases to brush over his hand, a consistent back and forth; the only way Qrow can measure the movement of time. 

When the sun finally dips below the horizon, the plane lands, but both men loathe to destroy the precious moment. Once it’s gone, it’ll never come back again, and though many moments in their future will be just as sweet none can ever be the _same._ Still, all things must come to an end. Qrow lingers, sitting for just a moment, and then he stands, not relinquishing his hold on Clover. “I’ve got to go,” he breathes. “I need to see Yang.” Clover nods and stands as well, and they descend from the airship together. 

Once they step foot on land, Clover turns to face Qrow. “Go on. I’ll catch up with you later,” Clover says, voice soft. Qrow gives him a soft smile and relaxes his hold on Clover’s hand, fingers trailing along Clover’s palm slowly before fully withdrawing, somewhat unwilling to part. Clover gives him a warm look and turns and walks away. 

Qrow watches him depart. Clover looks back for a moment and smiles at Qrow, then disappears into the yellow evening. 

_So this is what it’s like to be in love,_ Qrow thinks. His feet start to take him in the opposite direction, but he knows that they’re on a path that will lead him eventually—inevitably— _forever_ back to Clover. 

**Author's Note:**

> this is not proofread at all. i wrote it in an hour. fuck crwby this is canon now i dont care. sorry if its kinda bad but i needed to write it lmao


End file.
